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Write a mini-saga

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A mini-saga is a story that has exactly 50 words (not 49, and not 51!). Write a mini-saga of your own and send it to us.

How to write a mini-saga
An example of a mini-saga
Ideas for mini-sagas
Read mini-sagas from our users
Send us your mini-saga

How to write a mini-saga

A mini-saga is a story which has exactly 50 words. Here is one way that you could write a mini-saga.

1. Start by thinking of a story that you have written or would like to write, or think of a well-known story, or something that you have read.
2. Get a written version of the story - write it down, or print it off the Internet.
3. Shorten your story. Take out any words that are not absolutely necessary. How many words are there?
4. Now shorten your story again. How many words are there? At this point you may need to change words or sentences to make exactly 50 words.

Send us your mini-saga

An example of writing a mini-saga

Start with the story:

The Cobbler – First Draft (233 words)

Once upon a time there was a man named Roddy Biggs, who was a bank robber. One day he took a pair of shoes to a cobbler to get new soles put on them. The cobbler gave him a ticket, which he put in his pocket. The next day Roddy was arrested by the police for a bank robbery he had committed the week before.
Time passed slowly and 20 years later Roddy was released from gaol. As he was walking away form the prison, he put his hand in his jacket pocket, and found a piece of paper. Pulling it out, he saw the cobbler’s ticket and remembered taking his shoes there all those years ago.
“Why not?” he thought, and went off to see if, just by chance, the cobbler was there and still had his shoes. When he got to the address on the ticket he saw, sandwiched between a supermarket and a multi-storey car park, the cobbler’s shop. He went in and found an ancient man working in the dark little room. He gave him the ticket. The old man examined the ticket closely and then took down a huge ledger from the shelf. Blowing of the dust, he opened it and ran a shaking finger down the columns of names and dates inside. His finger stopped at an entry. Looking up, he said, “They’ll be ready next week!”

Take out words you don't need:

The Cobbler – Second Draft (100 words)

A man named Roddy Biggs took a pair of shoes to a cobbler. The cobbler gave him a ticket, which he put in his pocket. Next day Roddy was arrested for a bank robbery. He was sent to gaol.
Twenty years later Roddy was released from gaol. He put his hand in his pocket, and found the ticket.
He went to see if the cobbler still had his shoes. When he got to the address he went in and found an ancient man. He gave him the ticket. The old man examined the ticket and said, “They’ll be ready next week!”

Take out words you don't need, and change some words to leave exactly 50 words:

The Cobbler – Final Draft: the mini-saga (50 words)

A man took his shoes to a cobbler. Next day he was arrested and sent to prison for robbery. Twenty years later he was released, found the cobbler’s ticket and, just in case, took it to the cobbler’s shop. Examining it closely, the old man said, “Come back next week”.

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Ideas for mini-sagas

Newspaper Articles
First Experiences
Legends
Great Failures
Urban Legends
Accidents
Nursery Rhymes
Disasters
Songs
Memorable Days
Poems in Prose
Police Reports
Crimes Witnessed
Cartoons
Fables
Holiday Incidents
Puzzle Stories
Travel Incidents
Anecdotes
Horror Stories
Great Adventures
Love Stories

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